crafts. Chris told us pine trees grow from pinecones. I had a fan-tabulous idea! I collected a whole bunch of pinecones. Iâm going to plant them in our garden. Mom and Dad will be so surprised when they find a pine forest in our backyard.
Dinnertime. Got to go.
Hungrily yours,
DJ, a.k.a. Power Man!
At the group campfire that evening, there was a sing-along. DJ loved to sing. He sang louder than anyone else.
The rosy sunset faded into darkness. Faces glowed in the flickering firelight. Night closed in around them. Finally, Mike said, âItâs time for one last song.â
DJ sprang to his feet. âCan we sing âRow, Row, Row Your Boatâ? I made up a new verse. Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. Thereâs a bear out in the woods and that will make us scream ,â he sang.
Some of the campers laughed. Others glanced nervously at the woods.
At lights-out, the boys returned to their cabin. DJ woke up in the middle of the night. The cabin was pitch-black. He heard a humongous splash coming from the lake. Then another. What was out there?
DJ scrambled out of bed. He rummaged through his duffel bag. His fingers touched something soft. He pulled it out and climbed back into bed.
DJ wrapped his arm around his sock monkey. âDonât be scared, Sockster,â he whispered. âPower Man will keep you safe.â
The next morning, before anyone else was awake, DJ tucked Sockster back into his duffel bag.
CHAPTER FIVE
S OMETHING F ISHY
âDoes everyone have his life jacket on?â asked Chris.
âYes,â the boys answered.
âOkay. Two in a canoe. Andrew and Raj in one. DJ and Ernie in the other,â said Chris. âIâll bring up the rear.â
DJ climbed into the closest canoe. âYou know what, Ernie?â he said. âLast night I heard a humongous splash. Iâll bet it was that giant fish. Maybe it wasnât eaten by the lake monsters after all.â
Ernie hesitated. âI think Iâll stay on the dock.â
âErnie, hurry up and get into the canoe,â Chris said. âWeâre ready to go.â
âDonât worry, Ernie,â said DJ. âIâll protect you. If a big old giant fish attacks us, Power Man will give him a karate chop.â
The boys paddled along the shore until they came to a small bay. The lakeâs surface was as smooth as a mirror. DJ looked over the side. âI see the giant fish!â he shouted.
Ernie screeched. A pair of startled fishermen glared at them from their boat.
Chris paddled alongside their canoe. âWhatâs going on?â he asked DJ.
âThereâs a giant fish down there.â DJ pointed. âI think itâs following us.â
Ernie clutched the side of the canoe. âI want to go back to camp,â he said.
Chris stared into the water. âCalm down, Ernie. Itâs just an old log.â
Andrew and Raj paddled over. âI see it,â said Raj, pushing his glasses up on his nose. âI think itâs moving.â
âThe ripples from your paddle make it look like itâs moving around,â said Chris. âCome on, itâs time to head back.â
Andrew looked at DJ. âOnly sissies believe in monsters and giant fish,â he scoffed.
DJ didnât answer. He stared into the water. Something was down there all right. Something that moved. Something that looked like a giant fish. DJ swallowed but he wasnât scared. Power Man would never be scared.
âLetâs go, DJ,â said Ernie, snatching up his paddle.
DJ grabbed his own paddle. They were the first ones back to the dock.
That night DJ slept with Sockster again. Just in case Sockster was scared.
CHAPTER SIX
A S URPRISE
Cabin Six was in an uproar. Chris had announced they were going on an overnight camping trip. âAfter breakfast tomorrow morning, weâre off to Hermit Island,â he said.
âDoes a real hermit live